By Wade Keller, Torch editor

TNA DESTINATION X
MARCH 13, 2005
ORLANDO, FLA. AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

-A video introduction aired with dramatic music showing bloody wrestler emoting. Nicely done.

-Mike Tenay and Don West introduced the show from ringside. They hyped the matches and talked about a backstage incident with Abyss and Jeff Hardy going nuts that aired during the pregame.

1 -- AMERICA'S MOST WANTED (James Storm & Chris Harris) & 3 LIVE KRU (B.G. James & Konnan) vs. TEAM CANADA (Bobby Roode & Eric Young & Alex Jerrell & Petey Williams w/Scott D'Amore, Johnny Devine)

Tenay talked about Johnny Devine suffering a torn tendon and being unable to wrestle for a while. He was at ringside on crutches. His replacement is Alistair Ralphs otherwise known as Scott D'Amore's Border City Wrestling Heavyweight Champion, A-1. Young and Storm did a bizarre spot where Young dropped to the mat after a whip, and Storm stopped and laid down next to him. Then Young plopped over him onto the mat. Then Storm did it again on the other side of him. Then Young did it again, but ended up going face-first to the floor. It might have been a touch bit creative and funny if not for how overly contrived and nonsensical the whole sequence was. Then they went into a series of babyface dives at ringside onto Team Canada. D'Amore fanned his men at ringside with his jacket. Team Canada took over control shortly thereafter on Harris, with Roode working over his arm. Tenay said security had settled the issue with Hardy and Abyss and the match was still scheduled to take place as planned. Konnan got the hot tag at 7:30. A minute later D'Amore distracted Konnan and then Williams his the Canadian Destroyer for the win.

WINNERS: Team Canada at 8:49.

STAR RATING: *1/2 -- Surprisingly short considering the amount of talent inside the ring.

-Johnny Fairplay walked up to Dusty Rhodes, Trinity, and Traci backstage in his pick-up truck/office. Fairplay, with a new look, begged Dusty for another chance. Fairplay thanked him. Dusty then flirted with the women.

2 -- CHASE STEVENS (w/Chris Candido, Andy Douglas) vs. CHRIS SABIN

In the opening minute Sabin hit a nice springboard dive onto Stevens at ringside, then he took a few shots at Candido and Douglas. As Candido distracted the ref, Douglas interfered. It appeared Stevens had him pinned with a yank on the tights, but Sabin countered the pin with a leverage three count. A masked wrestler came out and saved Sabin from a post-match attack. He cleared the ring, hit some dives, and then unmasked, revealing himself to be Shocker. Tenay screamed, "Oh my god, it's Shocker! The guy from the McDonald's commercials!" Given Tenay's reaction, it might as well have been Steve Austin. Tenay then explained that Shocker is one of the true superstars of Mexico's CMLL promotion.

WINNER: Sabin at 6:12.

STAR RATING: *1/4 -- Good energy, but not particularly memorable.

3 -- RAVEN vs. DUSTIN RHODES -- Bullrope Match

They brawled at ringside at the start. At 4:00 Raven went for an elbowdrop off the ropes onto Dustin on a chair, but Dustin moved. Dustin then took Raven down with a half-hearted clothesline that lacked the follow through to be believable. At 5:30 Dustin signalled for the bulldog, but he took so long, Raven blocked it and grabbed a chair again. Dustin reversed Raven onto the chair for the three count. Team Canada and AMW ended up part of a post-match brawl. The babyfaces cleared the ring. Looks like a setup for a six-man tag next month with Dustin & AMW vs. Team Canada.

WINNER: Dustin at 6:07.

STAR RATING: *1/4 -- Passable, but it felt rushed. Then again, what there was of a match didn't leave you wanting more.

4 -- DISCIPLES OF DESTRUCTION (Ron & Don Harris w/Tracy) vs. PHI DELTA SLAM (w/Trinity)

Tenay and West discussed the experience advantage in big matches of DOA, but noted that Phi Delta had been a team for a long time. DOD cleared the ring Phil Delta a minute in, so Phi Delta regrouped with Trinity at ringside. Hearing West and Tenay hype how these two teams are fighting because Tracy and Trinity so badly want to have the exclusive attention of Dusty Rhodes is a bit hard to swallow. DOD fended off Trinity at ringside and tossed her into the crowd. A four-way brawl broke out at 8:00. One of Phi Delta hit a top rope splash, but the other Phi Delta partner distracted the ref looking like a complete oblivious idiot. The DOD then switched places without the ref or Phi Delta noticing. When he charged Harris, Harris gave him a big boot for the win.

WINNERS: DOD at 9:55.

STAR RATING: 3/4*

-Fairplay approached AMW and Dustin. He said he was looking for a tag team. He said he could be their manager. They laughed at him. Dustin and AMW said he would have to pass a test. Fairplay said he's really good at anything that resembled an immunity challenge. Storm then rode him like a bronco. Fairplay fled the scene.

5 -- MONTY BROWN vs. TRYTAN

During Monty's ring intro, the mic must've been near a woman in love with him since she screamed like the Beatles just showed up on the Ed Sullivan Show. With all that hype, Trytan's ring entrance was ordinary. He walked out wearing black tights. After his first offense move, the crowd chanted "You f--ed up." They brawled to ringside at 1:00. There was so clearly nothing special about Trytan as a wrestler that within two minutes, all of that time spent hyping his debut meant zero. He methodically worked over Brown with bland, basic offense that made Mark Jindrak look like A.J. Styles. Trytan gave Brown a chokeslam for a two count at 3:30. Brown came back with an overhead slam at 4:30. As Brown set up the Pounce, the lights went out. When they came back on, there was a masked man in a black bodysuit in the ring. Brown gave him the Pounce and the ref, looking like an idiot, counted to three. Trytan then stood on the stage with his arm extended in some sort of signature gesture that is supposed to help get him over. Rather than order Trytan back to the ring or count him out, the match just ended. Tenay said Trytan was staying one step ahead of Brown.

WINNER: No decision at 6:00.

STAR RATING: neg. * -- Bad match with a horrendous finish.

6 -- JEFF HARDY vs. ABYSS

It didn't take long to move into the big stunt of the match as they brawled in the ring, to ringside, and then into the crowd. Hardy then stood on a crossbeam about 15-20 feet above the floor and flipped onto Abyss who was lying on a table. Big spot. Hardy scored only a two count from the move. Within a minute, Abyss was in control again. West said Hardy had to be wondering what he could do to hurt Abyss. Abyss set a chair flat on Hardy's chest and then splashed the chair from off the second rope. Abyss sold the pain of the move, but Hardy didn't move. Abyss only got a two count at 7:00. Hardy came back shortly thereafter and brought a ladder into the ring. He then springboarded over the ladder and hit a flying legdrop onto Abyss. He then made the cover and scored just a two count at 10:15. Hardy scored a near fall after rolling Abyss into a chair. When he went to the top rope again, Abyss knocked him off balance. As Hardy straddled the top rope, Abyss leaned a ladder into the corner. Abyss blocked a Hardy huracanrana off the ropes onto a table, but Abyss reversed it and powerbombed Hardy through the table. The crowd chanted "Holy Sh--." Hardy threw some hapless punches. Abyss, though, set up his Black Hole Slam. Hardy escaped and gave him the Twist of Fate onto the ladder for the win. After the match, Abyss took out a big black bad and poured thumb tacks all over the mat. Abyss then Black Hole Slammed Hardy onto the tacks. Hardy rolled around on the tacks in pain as blood spurted out of his back. They went to a crowd shot of girls in the crowd reacting.

WINNER: Hardy at 15:29.

STAR RATING: ***1/4 -- Good stunt car wreck match. The lack of long-term selling of the big move early in the match made everything else that was done seem by definition less damaging by comparison, although the cumulative effect eventually made the pin by Hardy believable.

-Fairplay approached Team Canada backstage and said he wanted to hire two of them for a tag match. They blew him off.

7 -- KEVIN NASH vs. THE OUTLAW (a/k/a Billy Gunn) - First Blood Match

Nash dominated early offense. At 2:00 Outlaw yanked Nash from ringside by his leg and yanked his leg over the edge of the ring apron three times. Then he yanked it around the ringpost twice. Tenay talked about how Nash had undergone numerous knee surgeries. Outlaw grabbed a screwdriver out of a box at ringside and tried to use it against Nash. Nash, on his back, kept it away from his face. The camera zoomed in as it neared his eye. Nash eventually elbowed Outlaw to break free. Nash rammed Outlaw's face into the ringside rail. Back inside the ring, Outlaw nailed Nash with a stiff chairshot at 16:00 to take solid control. Outlaw used wire cutters to remove the turnbuckle pad and expose the steel corner. Nash blocked Outlaw's attempt to ram his head into it. Nash fired back with a signature big boot. When Nash went for Snake Eyes, the ref got knocked down. Nash used a low blow to stop Outlaw's series of punches. Nash then gave Outlaw a Snake Eyes over the exposed turnbuckle. Jeff Jarrett's attorney brought a doctor to the ring and he whipped away Outlaw's blood and then bandaged him. Meanwhile, Jarrett broke Nash's forehead open with the NWA Title belt. Nash came to and realized he was bleeding. The ref came to and realized Nash was bleeding and called for the bell. Nash got in a few shots afterward on Outlaw.

WINNER: Outlaw at 11:18.

STAR RATING: *3/4 -- Not much blow to the match, but not terrible, either. The finish was a bit contrived and cartoonish.

8 -- A.J. STYLES vs. RON KILLINGS vs. PRIMETIME vs. CHRISTOPHER DANIELS

The athleticism really went up about five notches here instantly. Lots of nice exchanges and highspots. West said Killings proved he belonged in the X Division. Primetime pinned Killings at 7:25 inside the ring with his Sudden Death finisher. Seconds earlier Styles dove onto Daniels at ringside. Daniels climbed the cables and sat on the point where they cross and then flipped to the mat with a BME. Great move. He went for the pin on Styles and scored a two count at10:00. Daniels shoved Primetime. Primetime got in his face and argued with him. They went into a great series of spots for the next several minutes. Skipper gave Styles the Sudden Death at 16:15. Before Primetime could make the cover, Daniels rolled him up and yanked on his tights for the pin at 16:45. That left Styles vs. Daniels with Ultimate X rules. Styles hit the Pele Kick at 18:45 to regain control of the match. Back in the ring, Daniels climbed one post as Styles climbed another. Daniels and Styles met at the belt. Styles knocked Daniels to the mat. Daniels leaped and yanked Styles to the mat. Daniels leaped off the top rope and tackled Styles who was hanging from the cable and took him to the mat with an STO. Great looking move with great camera angle to show it off. At 22:00 they both went for the belt. Styles knocked Daniels down. Daniels then yanked Styles down by his leg. Fans chanted "This is awesome! This is awesome!" They both worked their way to the belt from the cables in opposite directions. Daniels wrapped his arm through the belt loop. Styles hung from Daniels, and they both fell to the mat, but the belt stayed put. Styles and Daniels quickly worked their way back to the belt. They both fell to the mat again, and the ref took a boot to the face on impact. Styles went back to the belt and grabbed it. Daniels, though, got up and yanked the belt from Styles. The ref came to and awarded Daniels the win. West said Daniels stole the belt, but he deserves credit for opportunism, noticing the ref was down and taking advantage of it.

WINNER: Daniels at 24:55 to capture the X Title.

STAR RATING: ****1/4

-Backstage Fairplay and saw Buck Quartermain and Lex Lovett. He said he has a contract for a TNA PPV tag match. He put himself between them and posed. They seemed skeptical, yet intrigued.

9 -- JEFF JARRETT vs. DALLAS PAGE -- NWA World Title Lumberjack Match

Larry Zbyszko was among the lumberjacks who came to ringside. After "outsmarting" Page, Jarrett jumped to ringside and pointed at his head. Jarrett poked Brown in the chest at ringside and said that's why he's king of Planet Jarrett, or something along those lines. He was towered over by Brown (who was towered over by Tryton earlier) and by Killings, who had just been moved to the X Division, thus accentuating how undersized Jarrett is compared to even X Division wrestlers. Jarrett went to a headlock at 2:45. At 4:45 they brawled up the bleachers. Page was on offense, ramming Jarrett into the side of the entrance set. They worked their way back to the ring. They used a padded office chair as a weapon. Jarrett took control, applying the figure-four at 10:30. Page came back and got a flurry of offense. When he went for a bankshot Diamond Cutter at 16:00, Jarrett sidestepped it and then Candido interfered. Jarrett then gave Page a Stroke. A brawl broke out at ringside among the lumberjacks. The camera focused on Candido and Zbyszko brawling. Jarrett was about to use the guitar against Page, but B.G. James entered and yanked the guitar between Jarrett's legs. Konnan then yanked Jarrett crotch-first into the ringpost. Konnan held Jarrett; James swung the guitar, but hit Konnan by mistake when Jarrett ducked. Killings and James rolled Konnan out of the ring. Jarrett went to the top rope. Page shoved the ref into the corner, knocking Jarrett off balance. Page then signalled for the Diamond Cutter. The Outlaw entered the ring and gave Page the Famouser. Jarrett covered James, and the ref came to and began to count, but Page kicked out. Sean Waltman then charged into the ring and spin wheelkicked Outlaw. He got a nice pop and gave Outlaw a Bronco Buster. He then gave Jarrett a Bronco Buster. He and Outlaw brawled to the back. Page, meanwhile, went to work on Jarrett. Jarrett's attorney distracted Page. Page then fended off Andy Douglas, Chris Candido, and Chase Stevens. Once he cleared the ring of Jarrett's cronies, Jarrett was sitting on the top turnbuckle, begging off. He gave Jarrett a top rope Diamond Cutter. The attorney entered the ring and stopped the ref from counting. Brown then entered the ring and told Page to pin Jarrett and he'd take care of the attorney. Instead, Brown gave DDP the Pounce, turning heel. He draped Jarrett's arm over Page and Jarrett scored the pin. Tenay accused Brown of selling is soul to Jarrett. "Damn you, Monty Brown," he shouted as Brown and Jarrett smiled and shook hands.

WINNER: Jarrett at 21:34.

STAR RATING: **3/4 -- The match was never dull. The finish is either too much or convoluted fun, depending on your perspective. The Brown turn was a nice surprise. The hype and the match did a good job selling this as the coronation of Page, so the near falls in the end were convincing.

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